


Falling Through

by radishleaf



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Established Relationship, It's been a while, Kissing, M/M, Nonbinary Character, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, back at it again with the pwp lol, plz enjoy if you do read tho lol, sorry if it is!, this is my first time writing for valerius so this may be a little ooc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:57:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21887791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/radishleaf/pseuds/radishleaf
Summary: Somehow, Kai manages to fall through a wall and right into Consul Valerius's bed.
Relationships: Apprentice/Valerius (The Arcana)
Kudos: 40





	Falling Through

**Author's Note:**

> just a forewarning: though this is marked as m/m, kai is referred to with they/them pronouns. i was iffy on how to rate/tag this as a result, but hopefully this works, aha. 
> 
> i have like 10000 different apprentices, but kai is my favorite. so, of course i had to write a fic about them and valerius, one of many who i ship them with, haha. 
> 
> as always, kindly disregard any grammatical errors, punctuation mistakes, and the like. i tried to be thorough. enjooooy.

Time and time again, Asra warned Kai to remain in their quarters come nightfall—the palace was not their personal playground. But Kai couldn’t help themself, the majesty of the palace’s interior was a sight to behold, and they wanted to explore every nook and cranny it had to offer. So, it came to no surprise they defied the promise they made to the other magician and headed off into the night to satiate their wanderlust.

Their aimless wanderings took them to a long corridor in the eastern wing of the palace. Unlike the other branches of the palace that reeked of Count Lucio’s awful aesthetic tastes, this hallway reflected Countess Nadia’s more appreciable flair—the paisley-patterned walls and mosaiced tiling hinting at her Prakran origins. Kai’s lips parted in awe as they took in the entirety of the space; fingers idly brushing against the wall as their eyes roamed over every minute detail.

Kai was so consumed by a need to study _everything_ that they hadn’t noticed their hand inexplicably recede into the wall until they began to teeter. With a choked back yelp, Kai suddenly dove through the wall, before unceremoniously somersaulting out on the other side, hitting an adjacent wall upon impact.

 _W-what the hell?_ Kai thought as they fixed themself upright and rubbed the back of their boggled head. _What just happened? A-and where am I? T-this isn’t—_

Before they could finish their thought, the bright glow of a lantern lit up the turn in the corridor. With it came the tinny screech of metal on metal and the padding of feet, immediately alerting Kai that it was a palace guard. Kai stilled, panic driving their heart into a race.

_Shit, shit, shit, shit, shiiit!_

They pressed themself to the wall, hoping the shadows of night would conceal them, but the sharp demand of, “Who goes there?” hit them square in the chest like a dagger. Kai continued to mentally curse their luck as they turned back to the wall and patted at it aimlessly, willing the magic that spat them out there to return them to the eastern wing. Yet, the wall held steadfast beneath their fingertips, alerting them that the passage only went one way.

A repeat of the question from the palace guard had Kai swallowing thickly. They wanted to reply to save face, but knew they were toeing a ban from the palace if they got in trouble for the umpteenth time. Not only did this come with a scolding from Asra (he was terribly scary when he was angry), but they would lose so many opportunities to explore the palace, even if the ban was only temporary. It was not something they were willing to chance.

Jerking about, Kai’s eyes snapped to the lone door on their right. Despite the strip of light beneath the door signaling its occupancy, Kai broke off into a short run to it, threw it open, and whipped themself inside. If they could persuade the occupant to conceal them for but a moment, Kai could escape trouble for the time being, and maybe even craft an alibi if the other agreed to it.

Yet, Kai seemed to avoid one trouble only to stumble into another. Just as they slammed the door shut, a stray hand caught them, and whirled them into a firm hold with their arms jerked behind their back. They almost belted out a curse, but was silenced when the tip of something sharp met the throbbing vein of their neck. Suddenly, they were _very_ aware of the position they were in; the pain of the thin point jutting into their skin pearling sweat across their brow.

“ _Who_ sent you?” came a voice laced with venom in Kai’s ear. “I want _names_.” To emphasize their demand, they pushed their weapon deeper.

Familiarity flooded Kai’s brain at the tone—they knew that husky whisper anywhere, even if the reason why made them chagrin. Before the Consul of Vesuvia brought about their impending death, Kai hastily croaked out, “V-Valerius, i-it’s me! Kai!”

Kai felt Valerius’s body go rigid behind them at the response, but the Consul did not withdraw his weapon, which only now Kai realized was a bejeweled hair stick. Instead, Valerius pushed it a little deeper, and asked, “How do I know it’s _really_ you? Tell me something only you would know.”

“Ah, ah…” Kai wracked their brain for something— _anything_ —but panic had dashed their sensibilities asunder. Quickly, they forced out, “Y-you, ah, you really like wine!”

Valerius harrumphed. “Common knowledge. Tell me something _specific_.”

Kai’s tongue felt heavy in their mouth. They thought they couldn’t manage more than that, but something recent filtered in, and they responded with, “Hiber… H-Hibre… Gods, how do you say it… Hibrelage? R-right, Hibrelage! Hibrelage Noir! You absolutely _hate_ the stuff!”

A beat passed, but slowly, the hair stick and then Valerius himself withdrew from Kai. Once let go, Kai released a bedraggled breath, and sagged against the door before shooting a glare the Consul’s way.

“What the _hell_ , Valerius?” they spat. “What was that for?”

Valerius pursed their lips as he slipped the hair stick into the pocket of his night robe. “It was a precaution, Kai,” he said. “You can’t blame me for going on the defense.”

“Y-you didn’t have to!”

“Contrarily, _I_ think it was warranted.” Valerius folded arms across his chest. “You came violently barging in here without so much as a knock. Had I been expecting you, that wouldn’t have been the case.”

“Well—”

Kai’s complaint was cut short by a knock at the door. Both magician and Consul stilled at the sound before Valerius calmly said, “Yes?”

“Consul Valerius, I’m sorry to bother you at such a late hour.” The feminine voice was the same one of the palace guard that called to Kai in the hallway. “Just a moment ago, a possible intruder escaped down this corridor. Are you well? Did you hear anything?”

“I am well, yes,” replied Valerius. “And no, I didn’t hear anything outside my door.” His eyes pinned to Kai when he said this. “Is there a cause for alarm?”

Kai heard the guard withdraw a step. “No, Consul. There isn’t. My apologies for the disturbance.”

“Very well, carry on with your patrol. I’m positive your intruder is yards away from my quarters by now. Do be sure to catch them.”

“Yes, Consul. I’ll be sure to. Have a good night.”

With that final response, the palace guard’s footsteps echoed down the hallway before dissipating to silence. Kai released another heavy sigh before pushing themself from the wall, considering Valerius with a look of appreciation and relief.

“Thank you, Valerius,” they said. “I would’ve been kicked from the palace had they known I was here.”

“Pray tell, why _are_ you here, Kai?” Valerius asked, arching a pointed brow. Even if his stony face betrayed nothing, Kai knew he was curious. “It’s well past one in the morn.”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try me. I’ve heard plenty of your ridiculous tales before.”

Kai cracked a crooked smile. “I found a secret passage, Valerius,” they said. “A _magical_ secret passage.”

The magician watched disbelief slip onto Valerius’s face as his features softened. The Consul tried to feign a lack of change in expression, but Kai knew all of his quirks and tells by now—he couldn’t hide anything anymore.

This almost deflated Kai’s enthusiasm had Valerius not asked, “Where did you come across it?”

“Get this, it was in the eastern wing,” Kai said, their eyes suddenly sparkling in awe. “That’s literally all the way across the palace! Isn’t that something? I bet there are others that lead to all kinds of different places!”

Valerius hummed. “It surely is something,” he commented as he moved to a plush chair near the fireplace and sat. It was likely where he was before Kai slipped in; a half-drained glass of wine and a bottle chilling in a pail sat on the table beside the chair. Drawing a sip from the glass, Valerius added, “Something confounding, admittedly. I find it very hard to believe.”

“It _is_ true!” Kai huffed, balling their fists in a small tantrum. They followed after Valerius and frowned down at him. “Of all things, why would I make that up?”

Valerius leveled a plaintive look at them. “That’s your most exceptional talent, Kai—making things up. My apologies if I find it hard to believe you for that very reason.”

Kai’s eyes narrowed as the light once within them flared into a fire that made the one within the hearth crackle and spit angrily. Had the Consul noticed at all, he made no comment; even if emotionally triggered, Kai’s magic never lashed out dangerously. This he had come to know since they frequented each other’s company.

But that expectation did little to assuage Kai’s anger. Such was the dynamic between them—the two were always at odds with each other with Valerius leading and Kai trailing. The Consul put his foot down, made it known he was the figure with authority, and anything the magician said was either hearsay or childish. It brought wonder to Kai—what was their relationship? Were they just strange bedfellows or something less? Something more? It was absolutely a mystery.

“Then what did you think I came here for?” Kai asked. “There must be something.”

Valerius sighed. “What you always come for, Kai. _That’s_ what I thought brought you here.” He swirled the wine about in his glass. “Not happenstance.”

It was subtle, but there was something off about Valerius’s reply. More so in actions than in words; the Consul was a man who provided you his complete, undivided attention when conversing, but now, he hadn’t once looked Kai’s way. Instead, his eyes remained trained on his wine as he continued to swirl it about.

Valerius had always been a man difficult to read; unless he stated his mood outright, Kai had to carve out meaning through his actions. They had managed to, more or less, figure out his intentions as time went on, but there were moments here or there where their internal register slipped up. Such as the case here. Though they couldn’t put their finger on it, Kai couldn’t help but think Valerius felt… disappointed… by their reply.

 _No, it’s more than that_ , Kai thought as they caught the downward curve of Valerius’s lips. _It’s more like… he’s… pouting?_

This sudden realization made Kai mightily conscious of the Consul. They hadn’t noticed before, but Valerius was dressed cozily for the hour. He was one to head to bed early to rise early. Unless he was struck by a predicament or voraciously devouring a book (paired with a bottle of wine, of course), Valerius never stayed up late. It was if he’d been _expecting_ the magician.

Their cheeks lit up if this were the truth. Yes, Valerius was a man who planned—consistently planned—but to plan for their company was something else entirely. It made Kai’s belly squirm pleasantly, and as they watched the fall of Valerius’s loose, unbraided locks, they wanted nothing more than to run their fingers through it.

“W-well, I’m here,” Kai said as they strode forward, clearing the short distance between themself and the Consul. They boldly leaned forward and rested hands on the armrests of the chair, looming over Valerius. “So, we could still do, y’know… _that_.”

The obvious implication was not lost on Valerius, but he couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped him. The sour-sweet smell of wine on his tongue tickled Kai’s nostrils as they leaned closer.

“You’re truly a child,” Valerius said, voice dropping an octave. “You can’t even say what _that_ is?”

“S-shut up,” Kai huffed. “You’re the one that prepared for it.”

“Oh? And what gave you that idea?”

A flick down Valerius’s person was Kai’s answer. The smirk that cracked on the Consul’s face made the magician’s chest squeeze tightly.

“Nothing is ever lost on you, hm?”

Kai lightly bumped their forehead against Valerius’s. “Not when it comes to you.”

“Clearly.”

“But what made you think I would come to you? Weren’t you taking a gamble with that thought?”

“Just as you know me, I know you, Kai—I knew you would come, one way or another.”

“Even if it was just happenstance?”

“Even if it was just happenstance.”

Kai winced. “Remind me never to question how your mind works.”

“Oh, you needn’t worry. Just keep being your airheaded little self.” Valerius reached up and thumbed Kai’s cheek, muttering against their lips, “Your smarts isn’t what attracted me to you.”

“Then what—”

Before Kai could finish their sentence, the Consul slid lips over theirs, silencing them. At once, all thoughts within Kai stymied—concentrated wholly on the warmth that began with that lingering touch and working its way down every capillary and vein. They couldn’t help the small groan that left them as they leaned into the kiss, the urging desire to pull Valerius closer causing them to bring a knee up and slip it between the negligible space between his on the chair.

Kai would’ve enveloped Valerius with their entire weight had he not drawn them back with insistent hands on their shoulders. It took only a beat later for them to realize it was because Valerius’s chair was beginning to tip back. Anymore and both of them surely would’ve collapsed into the fireplace.

“The, uh, bed,” Kai suggested. “We should go to the bed.”

Valerius bit his bottom lip to suppress a laugh. “That’s our destination, Kai. So, yes.”

He rose when Kai reluctantly withdrew a step; it was clear they didn’t want to separate. It wouldn’t be for long; as the Consul of Vesuvia, they were afforded better amenities than the average guest of the palace, so their quarters were sprawling. A short trek through a doorway led into the bedroom half of his room, and once the bed was within sight, Kai grabbed Valerius’s wrist and half-led, half-dragged him to it. Valerius allowed this, but only upon catching the bottle of wine from the table and taking a long drag from it. A little liquid courage went a long way when Kai got the better of him.

The back of the Consul’s knees hit the bed before he was practically pushed back onto it; Kai’s urgency and enthusiasm surging over Valerius like a tidal wave. It surprised him all the same. Even if Kai appeared equal in terms of build, beneath their person was a bellied strength. It distantly reminded Valerius of their different upbringings; him among the greatest wines and riches that half of the world had to offer, Kai from the hardworking streets of the great unwashed.

Valerius hadn’t a moment to consider this more when he was kissed again, but this time with such insistence, his teeth clattered against Kai’s. He almost pushed them off, warning them that patience was key, but the magician wouldn’t allow them the prospect, for any words to be muttered was silenced with the swipe of their tongue. All words were swallowed as Kai languidly rolled their tongue over Valerius’s, the sour-sweet tang of wine shared between them.

Every small noise from the Consul was taken as encouragement for them to continue as he wrapped arms about their neck and pulled them ever closer. It felt like a curse to separate, but Kai knew they would get nowhere if they continued to linger. Instead, they peppered kisses along Valerius’s neck and nosed the underside of his jaw, bubbling up a small laugh from him.

“Now, now, Kai. You needn’t make haste,” Valerius said. “I’m not going to crumble in yours hands.”

“B-but it’s been a while,” they replied, puffing out their bottom lip. “I don’t know when I’m going to get this chance again.”

“In due time.” Valerius twirled a blue lock between forefinger and thumb. “You know I’m never far.”

“But you’re always so _busy_ …”

“Which can’t be helped. I _am_ a political figure in Vesuvia.”

“But you don’t _do_ anything. Not from I’ve seen.”

Valerius sighed. “If I could, I would tell you,” he said. “I’ve plans, Kai. I always have plans. To scheme is my business. That’s what keeps me busy.”

“Plans I can never be of help with.”

“You’re more than enough help,” Valerius said, rising to gently kiss them before pulling back. “You take me away from those plans, those schemes. You serve to be a sort of, mm, reprieve from all of it. I couldn’t be more thankful for that.”

“V-Valerius…”

Kai was touched beyond reason, but they never knew how to voice it. It was through actions alone they conveyed their feelings, and more than anything, they wanted to be that reprieve for Valerius. Leaning in to kiss him again, their hand worked along the silken fabric of their night robe before landing at the cord wrapped about his waist. Pulling at the knot, Kai gingerly parted Valerius’s robe, before running their hand down his chest.

The warmth of his skin was tantalizing, as was the responding keen the Consul had to their touch. Kai replaced their hand with their lips, kissing down the length of his body as they continued to undress him. All articles of clothing—Kai’s included—were discarded to a neat heap on the floor. Of course, the magician would hear about this later (Valerius’s robe was probably worth more than all of southern Vesuvia combined) as his things _must_ be hung up to avoid wrinkles, but the heat of desire had already muddled all rational thought.

Kai rolled their tongue languidly over Valerius’s nipple as they palmed his loins, provoking a throaty moan from the Consul. Both hardened from their machinations; the darkened flesh pebbling (which Kai delighted in nibbling) and cock throbbing steadfastly between the magician’s fingers. Valerius chagrinned from the groans that dare escape him, biting at his curled finger even when Kai shot him a look that read, “ _You know that’s not what I want—I want to hear you._ ”

Yet, a wicked idea appeared to cross Kai’s mind when Valerius caught sight of that infamous glint to their eye. The Consul’s mouth opened to both ask and warn them of their mischievousness, but Kai’s hand had already stretched to the wine bottle sat on the bedside drawer. Suddenly, they drizzled half the bottle across Valerius, making him jolt and yelp from the cool liquid. The red pooled in every dip and dimple of his muscled chest spilled to the bed, making him frown deeply.

“Kai, what the _hell?_ ” he cursed. “What was—”

“I’m just thirsty for a tall glass of wine,” Kai said, waggling his brows. “Sorry.”

Valerius’s expression dropped before he suddenly threw an arm over his face and snorted—actually _snorted!_ —with laughter at Kai’s lame joke. So rare it was for Valerius to lose his wits about himself that Kai couldn’t help cracking a smile as well.

“I c-can’t… I fucking… _I can’t_ ,” Valerius forced between chortles. “I’m a _courtier._ I… I-I have Vesuvia at my fingertips, but of all people”—his eyes rested on Kai—“ _this_ is the person I sleep with.”

“Hey, _you_ chose _me_.”

“Mm, I do make questionable choices.” Valerius smiled. “Maybe it’s about time I _start_ questioning them…”

Kai pouted. “Afterward,” they said. “We’re not done yet.”

“Of course.”

Valerius drew in a sharp breath when Kai’s lips met his chest again, sucking hard to pull wine and a bit of skin between teeth. When the magician withdrew, red marred the Consul’s pale skin, before several more coin-sized marks formed a crooked line from upper to lower torso. Kai also licked him clean of wine, leaving only a sticky trail behind. Valerius distantly reminded himself he would need a shower after they were through.

“ _Mn_ , Kai,” Valerius called softly. “Do you mind? There’s, _hah_ , s-someplace else that deserves your attention.”

“Ah…”

Kai couldn’t help reddening again. There was always a single moment that struck them during sex when they realized just how _good looking_ Valerius was, and with that, just how lucky they were to even stare upon him in such an exposed state. It spurred their heart into a heavy beat that reached a crescendo in their ears, disturbed only by the pressure in their loins. For the umpteenth time, it was only by Valerius’s insistence that they broke from their stupor—this time by a small vial pressed into their hands.

“You’re making me impatient, Kai,” Valerius said, nudging his legs open a little wider. “Of all things, you should know not to make me wait.”

“Didn’t you tell me before not to make haste?”

“That was before, this is now.”

“You’re a bit of a hypocrite, Valerius.”

Valerius chuckled. “I should be—I’m a political figure, after all.”

The oil coating their fingers smelled strongly of foreign cloves; a slight numbing agent among many that Kai was familiar with in their shop. It was why they never handled the jars themself—a single whiff reminded them of Valerius and the many things they did together. There was only so many times they could lose their wits about them, insides churning to jelly from perverted reveries. As embarrassing at it was, it was the reason why they left Asra to stock the shelves—he fared better, after all.

Valerius released a pleased breath when Kai snaked a finger between the cleft of his rear and circled it about the puckered orifice. After some insistence, it slipped passed the relenting ring of resistance, making Kai swallow thickly from the softness beyond. Teeth scraping against Valerius’s inner thigh, they shot the Consul a heated look as he threw his head back and choked on a moan.

“It’s been some time,” Kai said. “We haven’t done anything at all, yet you’re so loose. Why?”

Valerius’s chuckle was warm. “ _Mm_ , even I get lonely, Kai,” he said. When Kai’s face dropped into a deep frown, Valerius shook his head. “No, no. I wasn’t entertaining the company of another. There’s only you.”

“But—”

Valerius bit the tip of his thumb in the corner of his mouth, smile widening under his hooded look. “There are other fingers besides yours, Kai.”

Kai gulped. “ _Oh_ ,” they breathed.

“Does that quell your concerns?” When Kai gave a small nod, Valerius added, “Then, please continue.”

Kai wiggled in another finger beside their first before they slowly began to pump it within Valerius. The Consul’s second choked back moan came to no avail as Kai bent forward and slid lips over the head of his cock. Valerius’s voice rung out and bounced off the walls from Kai’s tandem machinations; each shift of their fingers or bob of their head drawing him one step closer to orgasm.

Just when that tantalizing pressure reached its peak in Valerius’s lower abdomen, he insisted the magician off him. Despite a blink, Kai did as they were instructed, and withdrew. After taking a beat to right his frayed sensibilities, Valerius beckoned Kai to stand.

“W-what is it, _hah_ —”

Lithe fingers smoothed over the strained lump of Kai’s loins, throbbing against the feathery light touches from the Consul. Valerius chuckled at their state as he tugged their pants down passed their knees.

“It pleases me to see you so eager.”

“V-Valerius…”

His lips met the velvety underside of Kai’s cock as he trailed up its length. “Look at how hard you are,” Valerius breathed. “I didn’t even have to touch you, yet you’re already like this. Tell me, what do you want, Kai?”

“I-I—”

Valerius began to bump their cock, making Kai stiffen as rigid as a board, knees almost giving out from the strain of holding themself upright. The magician could say nothing as they became akin to a toy in Valerius’s hand.

“ _Ungh_ —V-Valerius—shit…” they hissed.

“Now, now, Kai. You haven’t told me yet what it is you want. We can’t make any progress if you don’t.”

Kai managed to pry open an eye and look down upon Valerius after he licked away a dribble of precum pearled on their tip. A consuming urge to touch him came upon the magician, so they reached forward and finally ran fingers through Valerius’s ombre locks, tucking a fringe behind his ear. The Consul seemed now, more than ever, ready to service Kai, but they had reached their limit. They wanted nothing more than to be enveloped by him.

“No more, Valerius,” Kai said, though more begged of him. “R-right now, I-I want… I want to be inside you.”

With a strength unbeknownst to him, Valerius caught the magician under the arm and flung them onto the many pillows neatly stacked on the bedhead. Feathery down puffed and drifted into the air come impact as Kai splayed on the pillows, a confused look crossing their face. When Valerius clambered onto their lap, teasing sliding Kai’s cock along the cleft of his rear, the magician’s hands caught his hips and held him as that single touch skirted them closer to orgasm.

“Valerius, don’t tease…”

“Hm, teasing? Who’s teasing who?”

Somewhere in the tangle of it all, Valerius had gotten possession of the vial of oil, and slathered Kai’s cock thickly with it. Kai’s body went rigid again, balanced on the Consul’s masterful work of bringing them to the precipice of release, but never outright. It was tantalizingly torturous.

As he leaned down to Kai’s begging face, Valerius muttered with a voice thick with heady desire, “I want you as much as you want me.”

“ _Then put me in you already.”_

The height of Valerius’s time together with Kai was dragging out the unnecessary as the magician’s reactions were greatly entertaining. But like every good thing in life, this too had reached its limit; Valerius could tell by the taut line pulled across Kai’s brow.

Being merciful just this once, the Consul grabbed Kai’s cock and slickly angled the head to his rear. Then carefully, oh so carefully, Valerius lowered himself onto Kai’s entire length. A gratified moan left both of them upon finally obtaining what they both desired, but Valerius wasn’t satisfied just yet.

Kai’s eyes had fluttered shut as they tried to adjust themself to the warmth and tightness wrapped about their cock, but Valerius—as always—never gave them a chance to find comfort. Without provocation, the Consul shifted himself before pushing down the last negligible centimeters of Kai’s cock. The magician grunted in response, head falling back against the pillows as Valerius ground himself—and Kai’s sensibilities—into a fine powder.

“ _Ungh_ , f-fuck… Valer”—Kai swallowed—“V-Valerius…”

Valerius couldn’t answer them. His constant thinking, planning, scheming mind was stymied by Kai’s cock driving into him. Hitting that one sweet spot within him over, and over, and over, the Consul worked himself to completion with restless abandon. The only distant sensation he was aware of was the sharp sting of Kai’s fingernails digging into his hips as the magician tried desperately not to match his frenzied pace with their own.

Soon, the constricted knot in Valerius’s lower abdomen was unfurled as the tandem workings of a hand on his cock and a final edged touch of Kai’s own in him drove him over the edge. White painted the space between their bellies as Valerius came hard. The magician surged forth with one last thrust, emptying inside the Consul.

Twining arms about the magician’s neck, Valerius bumped his forehead against Kai’s as he settled into the afterglow of post-coital orgasm. Kai’s arms twined tighter about him, almost painfully crushing his body to theirs. This bubbled up a small laugh from Valerius that Kai kissed him through.

Running fingers through the magician’s long, blue locks, Valerius said, “You know, you’re… the only one that has made feel like this.”

Kai’s voice was breathy as they said against his lips, “Feel like what?”

“Like… this.”

Valerius couldn’t name the what it was, couldn’t name the intangible but strong desire to freeze time then and there, to preserve the mirth flooding his chest. It was a strange, alien feeling—feeling such contentment—especially from the likes of another person. Was there a name for such an emotion? Could it even have a name when it was indescribable?

“Never mind,” Valerius replied, shaking his head. “Don’t worry about it.”

“All right,” Kai returned as they embraced Valerius ever tighter, pressing themself into the hollow between the Consul’s neck and shoulder. “I won’t.”


End file.
